Desktop Icon Titles are Highlighted

Under each of my Desktop Icons there's a coloured patch bearing the title.
Is there a way of making this patch transparent ie just have the titles
printed on the desktop void of the patch? Thx ...

Click on the Start button
Select Control Panel
Then select Performance and Maintenance/Adjust Visual Effects/"Use drop shadows for
icon labels on the Desktop".
Classic - Control Panel/System/Advanced/Performance/Settings
If this still doesn't do the trick, right-click the desktop, point to Arrange Icons
By and make sure that Lock Web Items on Desktop is un-checked

See:

Desktop icons and icon labels may not display background transparency or the
drop shadow effect in Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=305117

Additional note, from Keith Miller:

Four things are required for transparent icon backgrounds:

1) 'System Properties' -> 'Advanced' tab -> Performance 'Settings' ->
'Visual Effects' tab:
"use drop shadows for icon labels..." must be checked

2) Right-click on Desktop -> 'Arrange Icons by' -> "Lock Web items..." must
be CLEARED

3) If you have any web content on your desktop, transparency won't work.

To check for web content: Display Properties > Desktop tab > Customize
Desktop button > Web tab >
make sure all checkboxes are clear.

4) Wallpaper must be an image file, not html.

WXP Pro SP2 Classic.
TaurArian Thx for giving the Path for "Classic" System\Advanced\Performance.
My "Use drop shadows for Icon Labels on the Desktop" WAS Unchecked/Clear.

I think I misunderstood TaurArian to say "Select" to me means it should be
CHECKED.
Ramesh referred me to KB 305117 which says it should be CLEARED.
Keith Miller said this feature should be CHECKED.

I tried both ways. Neither way took the shadows away.
Being totally confused but thinking I don't want a shadow underneath my
Icons, I left the sqaure for "Use drop shadows for Icon Labels on the
Desktop" CLEARED.

I don't have my Icons locked and under Web Tab one entry My Current Home
Page and Lock desktop items are Unchecked. ... I still have the shadows.

I'm using AZUL.BMP as my Desktop Background. I'm not using Active Desktop.

This problem appeared 24 hrs ago, after a virus program, "Pest Trap"
accompanied by a Trojan Horse, zotted on my screen while Shopping on the Net.

I used a Registry fix found in this forum, posted by William Crawford MVP,
to get my Background Menu functional again. It worked to perfection.
Unfortunately I now have these ugly "patches" under my Icons.

I've got the same numerous Icons I've always had -some being shortcuts (no
programs) to programs, most Icons arwe to News related Internet Sites.

Any further suggestions? Maybe check an entry in the Registry? Thx to all
for trying. It's most appreciated. ...

Sorry for the confusion. KB305117 seems to be erroneous. Actually the option
should be checked.

Give these two commands a go.
Click Start, Run and type:

regsvr32 /i shell32.dll
regsvr32 themeui.dll

Press Enter after running each command.
Restart Windows.

I put a check mark against "Use Drop Down". Both of these Commands
"Succeeded". The Patches remain. Since changing the colour of the patches
to a light grey, against the blue sky of the Background, I now notice that my
Icons have a little shadow, especially prominent around the Gold Star Icons.

There's no difference in the appearance of the icons nor patches whether the
"Use Drop Down" is enabled or not. It's as if the change isn't being
reflected in the registry.
Ramesh, do u know where this feature is located in the registry and how
exactly it should read to nulify the patches? I wonder if we both did a
search for "Shadows" then compare entries if that might lead to a solution.
I just did.
HKCU\Software\MS\W\ShellNoRoam\MUICache @shell32.dll, -30541
and
HK USERS\S-1-5-21 lots of nbrs\software\MS\W\ShellNoRoam\MUICache
@shell32.dll -30541 neither location looks helpful. Do they to you?

Looks like I'll just have to learn to live with a Patched Desktop. Maybe in
time I won't notice them. LOL Anymore ideas Ramesh ... Anyone?
Oh also ... When that Trojan Horse hit, along with other things, I cleared
out the Prefetch folder. That was 48 hrs ago. My Prefetch folder is still
totally empty.

I guess although my computer appears to me to be running well, there's some
files damaged. I've done too much work since the "Hit" to do a Restore of
three days ago. I wish there was someplace u could Report Companies like
Pest Trap that invade your computer with damaging Ads.
Thx for the suggestions and too, any others someone may have.

Right click on desktop. Select Properties, then open Desktop tab.
Click on the Customize Desktop button, then open the Web tab.

Delete everything in the Web Pages box except, My Current Home Page.
Press OK, then Apply, and maybe OK again.
You may have to restart for settings to take effect.

Hi! I don't have anything on the Web Tab Window except My Home Page
unchecked. I've got many, say as many as 50 shortcuts to Web pages on my
Desktop. Some are stored in related folders and some directly on my Desktop.

I've recently added two Toolbars to store the Internet shortcuts and Program
shortcuts. Nothing larger than 1KB. No programs are stored on my desktop.

Do u think storing so many Internet shortcuts would be preventing the
"fixes" from taking effect? This is an usually large nbr of shortcuts for me
- I expect to be finished using them in a cpl of wks.
Something else I've noticed. In Display Properties\Desktop tab, the Monitor
doesn't hold the Azul picture. I'll set it, close, reopen and it will have
reverted to Black.
My Desktop IS holding the Stretched Azul Bakground. Up until the "Hit" and
merging the Background fix, this Monitor in Display Properties DID hold the
Backgrouind picture chosen. I tried different pictures in case the Asul file
was corrupt but they didn't make any difference. The little Monitor didn't
hold any of the Background files chosen.
Hope this info is useful for u to form an oponion. Thx for your help.

Okay, lets check for virus/malware -

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/secu...s/default.mspx
Security software: Downloads and trials

Information about malware:
http://arstechnica.com/articles/paedia/malware.ars

The below links assist you in checking your system for parasites:-
http://aumha.org/a/noads.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/tshoot.html
Please note that some malware may kill the internet connection when it is removed,
the program on the link below will enable you to regain the internet connection.
http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm

Unexplained computer behavior may be caused by third-party software
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;827315

Spyware Programs links:-
Ad-Aware
Spybot
CWShredder

SpywareBlaster

Dealing with Unwanted Spyware, Parasites, Toolbars and Search Engines
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm


Perhaps an online security/virus check
Symantec
http://security.norton.com/sscv6/def...d=ie&venid=sym
Trend Micro House Call:
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/
Panda ActiveScan;
http://www.pandasoftware.com/actives..._principal.htm
McAfee FreeScan:
http://us.mcafee.com/root/mfs/default.asp
Kaspersky Labs On-line Virus Checker:
http://www.kaspersky.com/remoteviruschk.html
BitDefender Online Scan:
http://www.bitdefender.com/scan/licence.php

Free anti virus programs
http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl7.php
http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.html

I saw this last night and groaned but knew I'd have to tackle it.
I started the night off by first deleting my new toolbars that had been
acting quirky - next thing I knew I was looking at a desktop void of patches
under my desktop icons.

I couldn't believe my eyes! I kept looking at it wondering if I was
imagining things. I wasn't! I'm happy to report, all my icons' titles are
translucent again! No more Patches! Also, I didn't notice it before but my
menus look so much nicer now with line separations - I had lost the lined
separators but I hadn't noticed until last night looking at them, they looked
so much nicer and brighter. Also my desktop icons are nicely defined void of
shadows.

This is an all encompassing list you've posted. I'll keep it for the next
time something like this happens to me. In fact, my Prefetch folder still
isn't working so I'll get working on this list tonight.

Thx so much TaurArian and Ramesh! You're both Great Guys for manning these
Boards and helping Users like myself. I know many times I wud have ended up
under my desk in a fetal position had it not been for the advice I've been
able to find in these NGs. ...

Ramesh, I meant to ask u, what is it I did by running these two commands?
What does resvr32 direct u to?
What does the dll files " i shell " and " Themeui " do?
What other occasions would there be to necessitate running these commands
again?
Talk about blind faith! I've kept them but would never use them again not
knowing what they corrected. hmm Maybe THAT'S why u didn't tell me. ...

Windows uses so many DLLs, out of which the shell32.dll & themeui.dll are
the important ones that control the user interface. Registering the DLLs
restores missing registrations (in the Windows registry) and thereby fixing
Active Desktop COM settings and many others. Also, when doing a repair
install, Windows registers many other DLLs.

Microsoft Windows XP - Regsvr32:
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/d.../regsvr32.mspx

Manual registration of components is not always needed. It's needed only
when something is broken. Although registering the system DLLs manually does
not cause any harm.

Hi Ramesh, "Registering the DLLs restores missing registrations (in the
Windows registry)" As a Novice, it's hard to fathom how entering a few
letters "restores missing" registrations - when u don't know what
'registrations' means. Nevertheless I'm thinking it 'refreshes' and as such
it would be relatively safe to run these commands when something appears
quirky. Do u concur?

It was suggested I do a Windows Repair - also told that would be risky
because my WXP Pro dtd 2002 - would need SP1 & SP2 and vulnerable to errors.

Have u found Users are confronted with headaches using these old CDs or
would u advise buying a recent issue?
I doubt I'll be adventurous enough to install Vista for likely a year.
Would appreciate your views.

Wish there was a feature on these boards wherein u could email a discussions
to yourself void of the frames. My copy and paste efforts are messy. Thx ...

Different DLLs - different functionalities. It's better to seek the advice
from a forum/newsgroup in case a problem occurs in future.

You can create a slipstreamed XP CD (with SP2 integration). Check the
articles below:

How to integrate Windows XP Service Pack 2 files into the Windows XP
installation folder:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/900871/
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase...slipstream.asp

Combining Windows XP with Service Pack 2 for reinstallation (Part 1:
Introduction):
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=894947

I have the same problem - have tried all the proposed solutions but the
background color continues to show through my xp sp2 desktop icons.
Like Edna I recently cleaned out the "Prefetch" folder. I have a bmp
wallpaper, no activedesktop content, "Lock Desktop Items" unchecked,
"Use Drop Shadows" checked...even tried the reg hack to add the
"NoActiveDesktop" policy...no luck. Any other hints/tricks?
Coincidentally the toolbar icons for Office 2003 suite have at the same
time taken on a 16-bit appearance, not glossy and smooth-cornered like
they are normally.